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Friday, December 18, 2015

"It seemed so simple ... and then it wasn't." Can you relate? Especially around this time of year?

Like the cookies I attempted last weekend. It seemed so easy, just four ingredients. Mix it up. Roll it out. Punch a few cookie cutters into it. Sugar it and shove it in the oven. Again. It seemed so effortless. Four hours later, I'm sweating like Rocky like at the end of well, every Rocky film. Except I look like the Pillsbury Dough Boy based on the flour all over me. My kids, who were so enthusiastic to help, promptly abandoned me hours ago on the first tray. From there forward, it was me and my fancy gold-rimmed glass of Stella. Again, the recipe seemed so damn simple. I'm sure there's a metaphor for life here, but who has time for that?

Anyway, yes, this is my one and only blog post for December. And I'm damn proud I made time for it. Well, it's hang out here on the blog or get back to wrapping. True confession, I hate wrapping. I mean hate, loathe, despise, treat it as my evil nemesis. It's like when my kids bring home an origami book from school and ask me to make the things for them. Why is it so difficult to fold paper?

So, here's my holiday card to you. You guessed it - another example of "it seemed so simple ... and then it wasn't." Since it seemed so simple to assemble everyone dressed nicely down by the pond across the street, choose the best photo to upload and figure out a card design, it only took me ten days to create it. Please enjoy the fact that every single one of us is facing the camera and that not one person is making a silly face (ahem, not even the little boy on the left).

I'll be back in January with lots of book recommendations, a few reviews and several new posts about the life of a Writer-Mom. Until then ...

Friday, November 27, 2015

Grab a mug of hot chocolate. Get cozy under a soft blanket. And escape all that holiday stress with these 5 picks to get you in a festive mood.

1. Looking for some unexpected romance mixed with humor and a little adventure? Bestselling author, Debbie Macomber weaves a tale of two strangers forced to share a rental car after all the pre-Christmas flights become booked. I'm taking a guess and venturing these two fall in love. Or at least, hit up a sprig of mistletoe.

2. Looking for a getaway this holiday season but can't afford one? Here's the next best thing. Take a literary vacation on Nantucket Island. Your accommodations include a cozy inn with owners who know a thing or two about family drama. And author Elin Hilderbrand knows a thing or two about creating memorable characters!

3. Think you have baking troubles? Not like these two friends. Toss those burnt cookies in the trash and prop your feet up with this tasty read. Plus, it's low in calories for your wallet, as in 99 cents.

4. Traveling this holiday season? Probably not like these ladies! When 85 year old Joy and her younger neighbor Miranda set out on Route 66 in a decked out camper, there's bound to be some interesting plot twists.

5. Finally, if you're short on time this holiday season, a collection of short stories may fit your schedule nicely. Christmas, Actually has six short stories with one same theme, the holiday season with all its joys and dramas.

Monday, November 16, 2015

And, men, you can certainly benefit from the truths told here by today's guest writer, Destiny Allison, author of the soon to be released book The Romance Diet: Body Image and the Wars We Wage on Ourselves.

I'm so excited to launch Destiny Allison's pre-release tour! For more stops along the tour, click here for a complete list.

Self Doubt is a Double Edged Sword

by Destiny Allison

One morning, a couple of years ago, I came out of the bedroom wearing an old terrycloth bathrobe. Hair snaked Medusa-like across my head. My husband rose from the couch, pulled me into his arms, and whispered, “God, you’re beautiful.”

“Ha!” I replied. “You’re lucky I didn’t turn you to stone.” He kissed me gently and released me, turning back to his television show.

Later, as we headed out the door, he stopped me again. “You look wonderful.”

“No, I don’t. I’m having a bad hair day. Maybe it’s the new shampoo, but I just can’t make it work right.”

He shrugged, opened the door, and followed me out without another word.

That night we got into a terrible fight, another in a long string that threatened the demise of our marriage. I don’t remember how the fight started – I think I was upset he was flirting with someone -- but I clearly remember how it ended. He screamed, “You call me a liar all the time. You obviously don’t trust me. Why are you even married to me?”

I gasped in shock. “What do you mean?”

“Destiny, I told you, you are beautiful. You are who I want. I don’t care what you’re wearing, how messy your hair is, whether or not you’ve brushed your teeth. The beauty I see is in your eyes, the way you move in the world. It’s who you are, but you obviously don’t believe me. That means you think I’m lying. And if you believe I’m lying about this, you probably believe I’m lying about lots of other stuff. How do I combat that? How do I make you trust me?”

Sometimes, truth resonates like a church bell. I fell silent, listening to the reverberation.

Like most women, I look in the mirror a lot. I compare myself to others and know my looks could never stop a crowd. Thin, brown hair hangs limp on my shoulders. Wrinkles worry lips and eyes. No matter what I do, or how slim I get, my pregnancy-scarred belly sags and wiggles like jelly on a Popsicle stick.

My husband was right. I did believe his compliments were lies.

Self-doubt and self-criticism are vicious swords. They rip and tear with each invisible thrust. Double-edged and swung wide, they are relationship death. And yet, every day women succumb to them. In spite of our savvy awareness and the progress we’ve made toward equality, we just can’t seem to shake the conviction that we’re flawed.

In my upcoming book, The Romance Diet: Body Image and the Wars We Wage on Ourselves, I talk about how women suffer a thousand tiny cuts each day. Media influence, our mothers, even our best friends confirm our belief that we’re not good enough. That doubt is destructive to us and the people we love.

Learning to say thank you when paid a compliment wasn’t easy, but I had to do it because anything less invalidated someone I loved. Vowing to never again compare myself to other women helped me find something beautiful in every woman I met. If the mirror hasn’t exactly become a friend, it is no longer an enemy.

Equality and confidence are rooted in self-love, but as long as external voices control the conversations in our heads we’ll be relegated to the back of the proverbial bus. If we are to build healthy, loving relationships we must start complimenting ourselves.

About the Author:

Destiny Allison is an award winning sculptor and author. The Romance Diet: Body Image and the Wars We Wage On Ourselves, is her fourth book and due for release in January 2016. Other books include Shaping Destiny: A quest for meaning in art and life, andtwo novels, Pipe Dreams and Bitterroot. She currently lives in Santa Fe, New Mexico with her loving husband and rambunctious dogs. Find out more about Destiny Allison on her blog http://shapingdestinythebook.com/

Brave, raw, and unflinchingly honest, this book is a weight loss journey, a love story, a heart beating loudly on the page. Every day we battle against something–injustice, our spouses, our weight. Seldom do we acknowledge the real wars we wage. Repressing feelings and silencing our voices, we suffer under the surface, attributing emotional distress and unwanted pounds to the inescapable effects of hormones or age.

But weight gain, anxiety, and marital difficulties aren’t always so easy to explain.

In her poignant and touching memoir, Allison doesn’t offer recipes, exercise tips, or advice. Instead, she shows us how to stand up, express what we want, and develop empathy for ourselves and the people we love. In doing so, she provides invaluable insight for those seeking to lose weight, save a marriage, or make a significant life change.

Thank you, Destiny Allison for stopping by All Things Audry with your thought-provoking and uplifting post! For a list of more stops along the pre-release tour, click here.

Friday, November 6, 2015

Need some motivation to write? Here you go! These quotes from well-known, successful authors will get those fingers typing, or if your prefer, your pencil scratching!

For those who refer to themselves as writers, this month means so much more than too early holiday commercials and making travel plans for awkward (or quality) family time. For writers, November is associated with an odd sounding acronym, NaNoWriMo. No, I didn't just tell you to live long and prosper in a made-up alien language. You see, NANoWriMo is actually National Novel Writing Month, an event when mere humans wish they were aliens as they attempt to write an entire, full length novel in 30 days.

For all of you out there participating or attempting this feat, I commend you. Plus, I'll do you one better and attempt to give you some inspiration mixed with humor with these quotables:

Friday, October 30, 2015

When my kids asked me what my favorite Halloween costume was when I was their age, I knew the answer right away - Wonder Woman. I can still recall the white box containing the costume, a plastic mask that affixed to my head with a single piece of rubber band-like elastic and a plastic tunic-like bodice. Sure the condensation from inside the mask was partially suffocating, but it didn't hamper my enthusiasm. I felt epic ... or well, really "cool" or "rad" since "epic" wasn't part of early 80's terminology. Regardless, that Wonder Woman costume went down as a win in my personal history of trick-or-treating.

Now that I have a daughter about the same age I was back on that particular 1980-something Halloween, it's time to bring it once again as we're both going as the famed superhero - kid sized version for my daughter and a modest t-shirt style for me. (Much to the disappointment of my husband who was rooting for me to buy the sexy get-up to which I said, "Um, no.")

Why Wonder Woman? You ask.1. She's a badass woman, not girl - WOMAN. That's right. Supergirl and Batgirl, grow up. Ha! This Halloween I could use a badass attitude, especially with it landing on a Saturday. There'll be no rest for this Wonder Wo-mom: 10 a.m. soccer game - Bam! Three sets of Halloween costumes on three kiddos - Wham! Halloween party - Pow! Trick-or-treating - Kablam! Everyone on a sugar high and not ever going to bed - Wa-zoom! (For further proof of her badass-ness, Wonder Woman ranked #42 on this bizarre list created by Mtv News - check it out here.)

2. She spins and her outfit, hair and make-up are done. Those of you a bit younger than me may not be familiar with the Wonder Woman tv show of the late 70's starring Lynda Carter, so here's a clip below of the iconic spin Amaze-balls, right?!? Of all the super powers out there, this one ranks first on my super ability wish list. Think of the time I'd save. I may actually get somewhere early and look presentable when I get there.

3. She has a Lasso of Truth. How could I use such a powerful tool? Hmm. Let me imagine: "Who tracked mud all over the house?" or better, "Who ate all the Halloween candy and left the wrappers in a pile on the couch?" Cue my family members either ignoring me or running away. I reach for my lasso. "You can't get away from me." I encircle a potential offender of household cleanliness. Confession time. Wonder Wo-mom lays down the law. Cue the background soundbite:Wonder Wo-mom!

How about you? Have a favorite Halloween costume? Share it!

***Looking for an entertaining read to help you unwind and relax on the day after your sugar-high wears off?

Not what you were expecting me to say?
Well, that's not the only thing I want to do today (picture me eating lots of cake, drinking lots of wine, spinning with my arms open in the fall foliage, ripping wrapping paper and tossing it over my shoulder ... you know typical birthday behavior). Ahem. Anyway, you have to admit a free book is a marvelous place to start the celebration of the 42nd anniversary of my birth!

Wednesday, October 7, 2015

What's in a name? For most authors, naming a character goes far beyond what sounds nice. Today, author Jadie Jones, author of the Moonlit Trilogy, shares her thoughts on the process she used to discover the perfect name for her main character.

Naming a Heroine: How Tanzy Hightower came to be

by Jadie Jones

In the first draft of “Moonlit,” my main character’s name was Erin Whitaker. It didn’t feel right, but I convinced myself it felt right enough because later in the story, Erin would learn she was once Erinnere, a soul marked with purpose to return a thousand years in the future.

Erinnere came from the German phrase: Ich erinnere mich, which translates to: I remember. “Erin” regaining her memory of her first life will change the future of two worlds, so it seemed very fitting. But I couldn’t picture “Erin.” The name sat on her like a khaki colored t-shirt. For a name pointing to “memory,” it was completely forgettable.

As I studied the first draft, trying to figure out what to call my heroine, I realized it wasn’t just her name that was falling flat. I had way more holes in Erin than I did substance. Who was not-Erin? I turned my mind away from the manuscript – a fantasy/time-traveling/adventure/romance hot mess, and focused on the character who was to carry the story across two worlds.

To get to know not-Erin better, I mentally put my would-be heroine into everyday situations and imagined what should would do. What would she do if someone was rude at the grocery store? If someone tried to steal her purse? Did she even carry a purse? What kind of driver was she? What is her favorite color? What kind of music does she listen to? Does she play an instrument? Where would she shop for clothes? Would she give money to a beggar? What is her worst memory? Her best? Would she help an old woman cross the street? Where does she feel safest? Where does she feel most stressed?

As not-Erin became more 3D, I knew more of who she was, but I still needed a name. Something unusual, edgy, feminine, and with a touch of culture. Instead of searching for sounds, however, I searched for meaning. I searched for names with “eternal” in their origins, and landed on Tansy, a Greek name meaning “eternal life.” I loved the sound of it, but the spelling seemed too soft, so I switched the “s” for a “z” and had “Tanzy.” And it fit like a pair of perfectly broken-in jeans.

For her last name, I knew I wanted a hint of alliteration, and I wanted it to be at least three syllables for flow. Also, since Tanzy is unusual, I wanted her last name to point to her simple side, something straightforward, but also with nobility in the meaning, as Tanzy would become the most important human in history, and would be presented with an opportunity to sit on an eternal throne. Thus, Tanzy Hightower was born.

Once I knew what to call her, she became fully alive on the page. Her parents’ names quickly followed – Hope and Travis Hightower, and once they gained permanent names, their characters became easier to identify as well. As these three became more defined, the plot development finally took off.

As for Tanzy, she feels as real and solid as you and me. She’s been a voice in my head for six years now. I am sad to part ways with her, as she has seen me through the beginning of my career and taught me so much. I will take these lessons with me as I meet new not-Erins.

I will always remember her.

Thank you to WOW - WOMEN ON WRITING for providing this stop on Jadie Jones blog tour. For more information on this tour, click here.

About Moonlit Triology by Jadie Jones:

Moonlit is the story of eighteen-year-old Tanzy Hightower knows horses, has grown up with them on Wildwood Farm. She also knows not to venture beyond the trees that line the pasture. Things happen out there that can't be explained. Or undone. Worse, no one but she and the horses can see what lurks in the shadows of the woods.

When a moonlit ride turns into a terrifying chase, Tanzy is left to question everything, from the freak accident that killed her father to the very blood in her veins. Broken and confused, she turns to Lucas, a scarred, beautiful stranger, and to Vanessa, a charming new friend who has everything Tanzy doesn't. But why do they seem to know more about her than she knows herself?

Tanzy's journey continues in Windswept, the second installment of the Moonlit Trilogy when Tanzy is the key in an ancient prophecy pivotal to the existence of all beings, both Seen and Unseen. Unseen who have waited a millennium for her birth are relentless in their efforts to see the prophecy fulfilled--whether for good or evil, depending on which side of the conflict one stands. Others have sworn an oath to end Tanzy's existence, permanently.

Already, Tanzy's body has been compromised by her enemies, her veins now home to the blood of a wild horse whose instincts are becoming impossible to control. While Tanzy's Unseen enemies work to draw her out of a remote safe house, her friends beg her to stay in hiding. Tanzy is torn, wanting to reunite with Lucas, who has loved her since her first incarnation, yet unsure whether fulfilling the ancient prophecy will protect those she loves or destroy them.

In Wildwood, the third book of the Moonlit Trilogy, Tanzy's journey races toward a final battle within the Unseen.

Tanzy Hightower has crossed the veil and entered the Unseen world to fulfill the destiny she has at last embraced, to either seal or destroy the veil between the Seen and Unseen worlds. She is the only mortal in a land teeming with creatures who want her dead. To stay alive long enough to stop Asher, the most powerful of the Unseen, Tanzy accepts his marriage proposal and seeks refuge inside his palace.

On the Seen side of the veil, Tanzy's allies are fragmented and lost, without leadership. They must gather forces and train an army of candidates to defend their world against unfathomable predators poised to strike should the veil holding them at bay dissolve.

While Tanzy has accepted her own inevitable death in fulfilling her destiny, her closest friends refuse to stop searching for the impossible: a way to save Tanzy's life.

Genre: YA fantasy

Publisher: WiDo Publishing

Publication Date: April 16, 2013/July 8, 2014/September 22, 2015

Paperback: 310 pages/289 pages/312 Pages (also available as ebook)

About the Author:

Jadie Jones wrote her first book in seventh grade, filling one hundred and four pages of a black and white Mead notebook. Back then she lived for two things: horses and R.L. Stine books. Fast forward nearly twenty years, and she still work with horses. Its amazing how much changes... and how much stays the same.

​The dream of publishing a novel has hitch-hiked with Jadie down every other path she‘s taken (and there have been many). Waitress, farm manager, road manager, bank teller, speech writer, retail, and more. But that need to bring pen to paper refused to quiet. Finally, in 2009, she sat down, pulled out a brand new notebook, and once again let the pictures in my head become words on paper.

​Confession time: Jadie Jones is a pen name created to honor two fantastic women who didn't get the chance to live out their professional dreams. First, Jadie’s grandmother - a mother of four during post World War II America, who wanted to be a journalist so bad that even now when she talks about it, her blue eyes mist and she lifts her chin in silent speculation. And second, a dear friend's mother who left this world entirely too soon. To Judy Dawn and Shirley Jones, Jadie Jones is for you. It's been a pleasure getting to know her.

Friday, October 2, 2015

There's nothing like a good story with a little suspense to keep you entranced during this season of pumpkin spiced everything, falling leaves and eerily cool temps! My five top picks for Fall 2015 will have you turning pages faster than the leaves can change color.

First up is a new release by bestselling suspense author Karin Slaughter. This one promises to keep you on the edge of your seat with dangerous family secrets.

The third spot goes to Leaving George by Diane M Dickson. From the book description, it seems it's not so easy to leave George. For main character, Pauline, leaving her husband of twenty years took careful planning. But, I'd be willing to bet he finds her and the reunion doesn't go well.

For my fourth pick, I discovered a story that will make you finish the line, "When it's too good to be true ..." Picture a perfect setting that's a little too perfect. The Good Neighbor by A. J. Banner seems like the type of read that'll keep you guessing.

Friday, September 25, 2015

Ever read a story and then find yourself constantly thinking about it? Even long after you read it? This story will do that to you - trust me! The character of Hanne Schubert will inspire you to read your own translations into this interwoven story of language, culture, relationships and regret.

I love when I learn something new from a book. In this case, I knew little about the intricate work translators do as they convert a story from one language into another. It's not as easy a replacing A with B! Translators must rewrite the text so it makes sense not only in both languages, but in both cultures as well. In this story, Hanne Schubert has taken the challenge of translating a Japanese novel into English. She is consumed by the task, so much so, that when she suffers a brain injury from a dramatic fall, she only regains her ability to speak Japanese despite being fluent in several languages.

This fall does more than alter Hanne's ability to communicate, it is the catalyst for Hanne to translate her own life from a new perspective. Hanne travels to Japan where her altered language abilities will help her fit in far better than in San Francisco. Once there, Hanne is hit hard again; this time by the Japanese author who denounces Hanne's translated version of his novel. Seeking to prove him wrong, Hanne seeks the inspiration for the Japanese novel, Moto, a star in the Japanese art of Noh Theater.

Here's where the story begins to pull at your heart. As Hanne thinks she is researching the Japanese novel's main character, she is truly on an internal journey. Hanne begins to translate her own life through childhood and more recent memories, particularly of her estranged daughter. Sadly, she hasn't seen nor spoken to her grown daughter in over six years. Soon three stories, the original novel Hanne translated, Moto's own burdens and Hanne's family life, come to co-exist with one theme of love, loss and longing.

There are so many lessons of acceptance and the complexity of human nature weaved expertly through this novel. I cried at the ending despite it being the perfect way to pull these three storylines together.

I won't soon forget The Translator.

Thank you WOW-Women on Writing for providing this stop on Nina Schuyler's blog tour. For more info and tour dates, click here!

THE TRANSLATOR by Nina Schuyler

When renowned translator Hanne Schubert falls down a flight of stairs, she suffers an unusual condition― the loss of her native language. Speaking only Japanese, a language she learned later in life, she leaves for Japan. There, to Hanne’s shock, the Japanese novelist whose work she recently translated confronts her publicly for sabotaging his work.

Reeling, Hanne seeks out the inspiration for the author’s novel ― a tortured, chimerical actor, once a master in the art of Noh Theater. Through their passionate, volatile relationship, Hanne is forced to reexamine how she has lived her life, including her estranged relationship with her daughter. In elegant prose, Nina Schuyler offers a deeply moving and mesmerizing story about language, love, and the transcendence of family.

The Translator won the 2014 Next Generation Indie Book Award for General Fiction and placed second for overall fiction. It was also shortlisted for the William Saroyan International Writing Prize.

About the Author:

Nina Schuyler's first novel, The Painting, (Algonquin Books of Chapel Hill, 2004), was a finalist for the Northern California Book Awards. It was also selected by the San Francisco Chronicle as one of the Best Books of 2004, and dubbed a “fearless debut” by MSNBC and a “great debut” by the Rocky M ountain News. It’s been translated into Chinese, Portuguese, and Serbian.

Her short story, “The Bob Society,” was nominated for a Pushcart Prize. Her poems, short stories and essays have appeared in ZYZZYVA, Santa Clara Review, Fugue, The Meadowland Review, The Battered Suitcase, and other literary journals. She reviews fiction for The Rumpus and The Children’s Book Review. She’s fiction editor at Able Muse.

She attended Stanford University for her undergraduate degree, earned a law degree at Hastings College of the Law and an MFA in fiction with an emphasis on poetry at San Francisco State University. She currently teaches creative writing at the University of San Francisco.

Wednesday, September 23, 2015

For sharing it like a good apple with a badass attitude, Angie White Rogers is winner of a $15 Starbucks Card!

Thank you to each and every one of you who took the time to share SECRETS, LIES AND APPLE PIES on your Facebook page. You are all awesome for helping me find new readers!

Second Chances are awesome, too! And here's your chance: Go to www.audryfryer.comand enter to win some cool swag by signing up for my email list (I super promise I don't have the energy or the time to clog your inbox - just the occasional newsletter to entertain you!) October's newsletter will have the details for the next Chance to Win!

I love my readers!

Thank you all so much!!!!

Beach read season is over! Now what? How about a juicy novel with a spicy Fall setting? Yes, please!

When a random text message appears on her husband’s phone from Josephine, a friend as close as family, Braeburn thinks little of invading Reed’s privacy …until she reads it, “Whatever you do, don’t tell Braeburn.” This trust threatening message combined with an unseasonably early snowfall dangerously coating the country roads near her small Pennsylvania town of Scarlet’s Mill, sends Braeburn careening out of control in more heart pounding ways than one.

Now, baking apple pies for her sister’s business – despite being horrible at preparing a homemade pie crust – may be Braeburn’s only hope for recovery. Since moving into the farmhouse with her mother at the Scarlet family’s orchard, Braeburn has been tormented by questions surrounding the events on the day of her accident. What was Josephine hiding? Was her entire marriage based on one big lie? And, what are you waiting for? Your next read for Fall is right here:Kindle or Nook!

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About Me

Welcome to my blog! Here, you'll find fun snippets from my Writer-Mom life as well as fascinating guest posts from fellow authors.
A little about me: I am a novelist, blogger and domestic diva. I wrote my first novel, Going Barefoot in Greener Grass, while my twins were napping and my oldest was at pre-school. I have a second novel, Secrets, Lies and Apple Pies available for Kindle and Nook. And, I am feverishly working to find an agent for my third novel, How Lucy Got Lucky. I live on a quiet, country road overlooking a pond with my John Deere fanatic husband, my Lego-maniac son, my Southern Belle at heart twin daughter, my “scientist” twin son, a very furry dog and two tree frogs. Aside from writing, my typical day consists of bucket-loads of coffee, living the domestic diva lifestyle (also known as cleaning, mountains of laundry, etc.), pretending to exercise by wearing yoga pants and “Mom’s Mini Van Shuttle”.